


The Silver Mirror

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27288697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Following on from the events ofPart of the CrowdStanley Hopkins calls Holmes and Watson to help him in the next step.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	The Silver Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Written for DW's Ficletzone Reverse Fandom challenge: SGA (Smoke and Mirrors)

I had done my best to put the day when I had been invisible behind me, and Holmes and I had resumed normal life, or as normal as our life together was ever likely to be. And then, about ten days afterwards we received a message from Hopkins, requesting our immediate presence in Limehouse. 

“This is most strange,” Holmes said. “Hopkins provides no details beyond the address.”

“I wasn’t aware you were involved in any of his cases at the moment,” I replied.

“I’m not. And if he wished to consult me about something new, he would undoubtably have said more.”

“Do you intend going?”

“Most certainly. And as it is addressed to both of us, I presume you will accompany me.”

We took up our hats and coats, and hurried outside, where Holmes hailed a hansom cab. We travelled in silence. I could see Holmes was as mystified as I was, and he was clearly considering various possibilities, and discarding them immediately. At one point he leant towards me to ask if I had my gun, and I confirmed I had thought to bring it with me, since we had no idea what we would be facing.

On our arrival I paid the cabman and we looked around. There was no sign of Hopkins, and I was beginning to wonder whether we had been tricked into coming, or whether something had happened to the detective, when he emerged from the shadows.

“Thank you for coming,” he said. “I thought you might be interested in what is about to happen. Follow me!”

He led the way down an alleyway and out into a small clearing, in which, rather incongruously, was a little cottage. 

Then, he took out of his coat pocket a silver hand mirror, which he passed to Holmes, saying, “Mr Holmes, I am about to knock on the door to the cottage. I shall stand to one side as I do so and would be grateful if you could direct the mirror at the face of the person who answers it. Dr Watson, I suggest you keep at a reasonable distance.”

Bemused, we did as Hopkins requested. I watched as he knocked and then took a sidestep, so he was out of sight of whoever answered it. An elderly lady opened the door and Holmes shone the mirror into her face. She uttered a scream and slammed the door.

Then, smoke came out of all the cracks in the cottage, and it seemed to crumble away, so that in a very little time there was nothing there at all and the clearing had reverted to a patch of wasteland.

“Good,” Hopkins said. He held out his hand for the mirror, and Holmes returned it to him, shaking his fingers as if he had burnt them. 

“Are you all right, Mr Holmes?” Hopkins asked.

“Yes, thank you,” Holmes replied. “It felt as though there was heat coming from the mirror.”

“That is possible,” Hopkins agreed. 

“And am I right in thinking this was related to the unfortunate incident which befell Watson the other week?”

“Oh, yes. The herb had been obtained from the cottage’s occupant, and she should trouble you no more. However, I have been unable to ascertain who wanted the herb and I suspect, Mr Holmes, that you would probably have a better idea than I do in that regard.”

“I have my suspicions,” Holmes replied grimly, “but as you can imagine they are not easy to prove.”

I had grown somewhat alarmed at this turn of events, but Holmes hastened to reassure me that I was not currently in any danger, and Hopkins being equally confident, I began to relax. 

We walked back to the main thoroughfare, where Hopkins bade us farewell and we took a taxi back to Baker Street.

In the taxi, I said to Holmes, “We still know nothing of how Hopkins comes to be aware of these matters. Did you think he will ever tell us?”

Holmes smiled. “Yes, I believe he will when the time is right. He permitted us to witness the power at work this morning, he would not have done that if he had intended us to remain forever in ignorance.”


End file.
